Vacation Robo-Poll: A La Carte

I've actually been thinking about this recently because we've been discussing turning our cable off and relying on Netflix and online content -- which means I've been trying to decide which, if any, cable channels I'd have a hard time living without. And it turns out there aren't many. I'd miss AMC (for Mad Men), but I think I could handle waiting for those to come out on dvd, which means Bravo would leave the only real gaping hole -- I'd hate to give up Top Chef. And now that Project Runway has moved, maybe Lifetime as well, which is ironic since I'm not sure I've ever watched it before. (Are Top Chef or Project Runway episodes ever available online while the season is showing?)
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But if I were to pick 10: Bravo, Lifetime, AMC, CNN, MSNBC, Discovery, USA (my go-to channel for sick days; L&O re-runs are so easy to nap to), ESPN (for my husband), and I guess HGTV and MTV.

I can't stay away from this one. I'll make an initial list of cable channels I'd like, then pare it down to 10 if I need to.
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ESPN, Fox Sports North (or Fox Sports Wisconsin, or whatever they're calling it now), TBS (for Mrs. Dave), History, TLC, Discovery, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, National Geographic, Versus, TNT, USA, FX. From there, it'd probably be easiest to pull out Versus and hope that ESPN gets the NHL contract next time around. USA would probably go next. They tend to have pretty reliable stuff to sort of default to, and I could probably get into Burn Notice, but TNT and FX usually have better movies, so I'd take those over USA. I think the last one I'd take out is History... I used to eat up everything on History, but while I still had cable, I found myself watching less and less History. I'm sure they've got good programming, and there's usually something interesting to watch, but I couldn't justify keeping it over some of Mrs. Dave's channels

I need to cover the channels that have sports on first. 1.ESPN, 2.ESPN2, and 3.Fox Sports Network (Detroit).

4. AMC
5. Comedy Central
6. CNN
7. Versus (I forgot that I would need this one for the NHL playoffs).
8. National Geographic
9. The Science Channel
10. History

I could probably do without the history channel most of the time since its changed so much over the last decade (Ice Road Truckers?). But every now and then they a special or go back to their archives of older docs and I get hooked in. I actually surprised myself at how hard it was to get to ten. Mainly because I can was USA and FX shows on Hulu. I guess I would have to start watching The Soup and SyFy programs online as well.

You said it yourself: most adults could easily get away with 10 cable channels. But start adding the tastes of the rest of your family, and that number spirals upwards.
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So, covering myself and various nieces/nephews who come to visit (atm, there is no Mrs. Shaw), in order:
Myself: FX, Adult Swim/Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, AMC, SciFi, USA (filler repeats), ESPN (Football season).
Kids: Boomerang, Disney, Nickelodeon.
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Didn't make the cut:
News networks: Get headlines off internet, get my fill of talking heads on Sunday mornings.
ESPN2: Can cover my Football season Mike & Mike fix via the radio.
TNT: Prefer the original L&O for time wasting, but I prefer USA's first run shows.
Spike: 80's action movies will never die, but a Netflix disc devoted to the fine arts of Van Damme, etc. works just as well.
History: I think they ran out of new history sometime in the early 00's. Pity.

Wow, tough question. Here goes:
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1. ESPN
2. ESPN2
3. Big Ten Network -- my top 3 are all because of sports, particularly Northwestern football/basketball, which airs on all 3 networks at various times
4. CNN -- I need a news channel, particularly for election coverage
5. Discovery -- Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, Cash Cab and Mythbusters are good for a diversion
6. TNT -- good movies, plus Leverage, plus NBA coverage, plus (if I truly was limited to 10 stations) I think I could talk myself into getting into their other programs like The Closer, Deep Blue, or Raising the Bar.
7. MSNBC -- mainly for Morning Joe, to be honest.
8. USA -- decent movies? Maybe I'd get into Burn Notice? (at this point in my list, I'm kind of reaching)
9. HDNet -- they actually end up with some great movies, concerts, and special programs, and its truly beautiful to watch.
10. Food Network -- for when my parents visit, and for days when I want to be inspired.
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Amazing -- I truly could live with just 10 basic cable channels (so long as I also had ABC/FOX/NBC/CBS and, in case they ever come up with another Veronica Mars-esque quality show, CW.) Shocking, given how much TV I watch.

In no particular order.

1. Comedy Central - News, humor and humorous news all packaged in one channel...and, oh yeah, new episodes of Futurama. How can you lose?
2. The Military Channel - Never outgrew the fascination with wars, battles and the military. That being said, I'm a complete lefty liberal that thinks gun control can always be tighter.
3. ESPN - Sportscenter, Sportscenter, Sportscenter
4. USA - Can always depend on USA for fun, disposable shows.
5. Fox Soccer Channel - Need to get my fix of premiership action and soccer news. It's the only place to get it in the US.
6. Travel Channel - One reason: Anthony Bourdain. If they could devote the whole channel to Anthony walking the globe and eating/drinking his way through countries, I'd watch all of it.
7. Food Network - The amount of shows I can watch on Food Network has steadily decreased over the years as they move towards Paula Dean and Sandra Lee, but Alton Brown and Iron Chef episodes keep me coming back.
8. Bravo - All hail the king of reality TV.
9. BBC America - One show, Torchwood
10. SyFy - Proud to be a card carrying nerd. SciFi has aired some of the best shows on basic cable (BSG, Farscape, etc.) and I'm sure they will continue.

Here's nine:
Comedy Central (duh)
Food Network (food porn!)
USA (L&O: SVU marathons, Psych)
FX (generally good movie selection)
History (occasional non-Hitler, non-Biblical programming)
Travel(mainly for Bourdain)
FNC (for those days when I want to get really angry)
MSNBC (for those days when I want to get mildly angry.. and Maddow)
Discovery (for when my evening commute is short and I have nothing to do once I get home... aka, Cash Cab)

1. Comedy Central: For my fake news needs.
2. SciFi Channel: Good shows, bad movies, and a stupid name change I'm not acknowledging.
3. USA: Burn Notice!
4. AMC: Two of the best shows on TV, Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
5. Food Network: For Alton Brown.
6. Cartoon Network/Adult Swim: Venture Brothers, Robot Chicken, and a couple of other shows.
7. FX: Sons of Anarchy

At this point, I'm stretching. So let's just say:

8. History Channel
9. Discovery Channel
10. National Geographic Channel

I watch shows on those three when nothing else is on.

@Chaddogg: Hey, somebody that watches the Big 10 Network!

@Rorschach -- an occupational hazard when you are a huge Northwestern fan. Not many other channels (or even local Chicago newspapers) carry as much coverage of Northwestern sports (both live and analysis/highlights) as Big Ten Network. It was the first thing I asked the cable company about when I set up my new coverage. Plus they have a strangely addictive show during football season called Friday Night Tailgates, where two Chicago-area improv/comedians (Jordan Klepper and Steve Waltien) travel to Big Ten campuses throughout the season showing local campus traditions, bars, etc., while the studio anchors preview the upcoming games....really quite funny.
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot -- Charissa Thompson. She alone (in HD!) is reason to watch sports on Big Ten Network.
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I'm surprised by the number of people who put down Comedy Central -- I mean, I like Daily Show and Colbert as much as anyone, but with Hulu it hardly seems necessary to keep the channel just for those shows. And when they air movies, Comedy Central airs more commercials during movies than ANY other channel.

1. Comedy Central (I suppose I could watch TDS/Colbert a day late on the internets, but they're essential viewing.)
2. AMC (Mad Men/Breaking Bad/etc.)
3. USA (Burn Notice/US Open Tennis early rounds)
4. Discovery
5. Bravo
6. SyFy
7. Cartoon Network
8. BBC America
9. ESPN/ESPN2 (Is it a cheat to bundle these together?)
10. MSG/MSG2 (Also a cheat?)

1. USA: for obvious reasons
2. TNT: They actually do ok drama
3. BBC- AMERICA: For a dose of good ol' Blighty
4. CHILLER: old school horror (more LOL than scary)
5. FX: Has the movies (retreads but ok when chilling with the fam)
6. SYFY: X-Files reruns, have ok original scripted series
7. CNN: Great theme music. Also contractually obligated
8. Nickelodeon : For a weekly reality check (kids have all the fun)
9. IFC : Purely out of peer pressure
10. Lifetime/LMN : A necessary gals only sleepover accessory

1. Comedy Central (Daily Show and Colbert)
2. AMC (Mad Med and I would eventually get around to watching Breaking Bad)
3. TNT (Leverage)
4. Fox Soccer Channel (Man United!!!)
5. BBC America (Graham Norton, Skins, Jonathan Ross)
6. FX (I feel like they would eventually make a show I would want to see)
7. USA (see FX)
8. Discovery Channel (Currently, I only watch Mythbusters, but if it were 1 of 10 channels, I expect I would watch it more and maybe feel better about myself)
9. TBS (If I am even in a dire need of a 90s-sitcom-reruns fix and away from my dvd collection)
10. CNN (Even though I get most of my news online, it would still be nice to have it around for Breaking News and Anderson Cooper)

First post! Been reading for several months but never commented much on blogs... anyway, here goes:
As with some others, the sports channels first.
1. ESPN
2. ESPN2
3. SportsTime Ohio (for the Indians)
4. "SyFy" (even when they don't have any real good shows, like now, I still find myself flicking to it as a default. I'm that much of a geek)
5. Comedy Central (because TDS and Colbert need to be fresh)
6. TNT (it's sort of a good all-around whatever channel, isn't it? Plus basketball)
7. Cartoon Network (for Adult Swim)
8. BBC America (which is funny because I don't get it now, but I'm pretty sure that if I did I'd be watching three shows a week on this baby)
At this point, weirdly, I find myself out of essentials. I'll go with CNN even though I get all my news online, it's probably good for some things like group viewing of big events. And someone suggested Fox Soccer Channel, which is another one I don't get but would watch all the time if I did, so I'll go with that. I already wait for DVD with "Mad Men", and USA hasn't grabbed me since "The 4400", though I suppose I'd regret not having it when the Olympics come around every few years.